Burner's Burning Questions: Week One Grades

Week One Grades​

Welcome to the 2014 regular season and the first week of BBQ grades and questions. The Redskins underwhelmed in a 17-6 loss to the Texans. It was a rough debut for a new coach and a new offensive system. Feel free to offer your own grades, opinions, suggestions, and ideas. Too, we have some questions to close out this first week of action.

Let

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Week One Grades​

Welcome to the 2014 regular season and the first week of BBQ grades and questions. The Redskins underwhelmed in a 17-6 loss to the Texans. It was a rough debut for a new coach and a new offensive system. Feel free to offer your own grades, opinions, suggestions, and ideas. Too, we have some questions to close out this first week of action.

Let’s take a look at the grades.

Quarterback:
Robert Griffin, III showed some promise at being a pocket passer, but he also struggled at times. Turning the ball over inside the red zone is a huge negative. Grounding the ball did not help, but Griffin has learned to slide when in danger.
Grade: C+

Running Backs:
The running game was solid, but Alfred Morris and Roy Helu were underutilized. Morris nearly lost the ball inside the red zone, but video replay saved the play. We hope to see a little of Silas Redd sometime soon.
Grade: B+

Wide Receivers:
An offense will try to take what a defense will give them and the Redskins needed to look further downfield at times. A reverse lost major yardage. There were too many short passes. Gaining yardage after a catch simply didn’t happen either.
Grade: C

Tight Ends:
This position was non-existent and did not contribute anything of note. Blocking was atrocious. Jordan Reed has another injury and this could be his destiny in the NFL – potential, but injured too often. Niles Paul quickly went from hero to zero.
Grade: F

Offensive Line:
Where do we start? The porous right side? Tyler Polumbus? Chris Chester? Even Trent Williams had a holding call and a couple of miscues. It was simply horrific.
Grade: F

Defensive Line:
It was not as stellar as some may think. A journeyman quarterback all too often had time to throw the ball and Arian Foster gained more than 100 yards. One sack from Jason Hatcher and some good third down stands certainly stand out, but some improvement is still needed.
Grade: C+

Linebackers:
A solid effort from Keenan Robinson and Ryan Kerrigan helped to keep Houston in check. Perry Riley and Brian Orakpo were steady. This was the best unit on the field for the Redskins on Sunday.
Grade: A-

Cornerbacks:
Overall, the corners were good, but unspectacular. Bashaud Breeland had an untimely penalty, but did well in the nickel packages. David Amerson played a solid game while DeAngelo Hall continued to defy his age – many thought he would be playing safety by now. E.J. Biggers was good in nickel packages too.
Grade: B

Safeties:
Bacarri Rambo could be on an even shorter leash after a terrible performance. Granted, he is more of a free safety, but poor angles continue to be his Waterloo. Ryan Clark provided a veteran presence and solid play.
Grade: C-

Special Teams:
Bottom line, it wasn’t pretty. A blocked extra point is simply unforgivable. That one point quickly changed the game and energized the Texans. A blocked punt for a touchdown hurt as well. One bright part of the special teams was punter Tress Way. He could have a long tenure in Washington.
Grade: D

Coaching:
Seeking to transform Griffin into a pocket passer seems to be working, but it will take time. Defensively, the game plan was solid and the unit did a fine job – albeit, with some breakdowns. Special teams contributed heavily to the loss. The offensive line was simply – offensive. Not making enough adjustments at halftime was surprising when one considers the hype that originally came with Jay Gruden.
Grade: D+

Week one passes into the history books. How would you grade each position and the coaching staff? What are you looking for in the coming week against the Jaguars? Is it time for some changes on the right side of the line? Who do you blame the most for this loss?

See you again next week.

Hail to the Redskins!

I agree with the RG III assessment, fully based on 2012. But if we based it off of his preseason performance he would get a B from me. No INTs, 9 incomplete passes (I think), slid, and threw the ball away when he needed to.

Special Teams...man, its hard to argue that grade. The kicks are better, the coverage is better, the return yards are better. but then we give up 8 points!! Put a band aid on one cut while you shoot yourself in the foot?

RG3 probably was just going with the game plan and that called for all those dink/dunk passes but the 10 or so dropbacks that called for something else he looked hesitant and repeatedly got sacked, chased around, didn't step into the pocket and seemed to have the legs of a newborn deer trying to learn how to run. 2 of his 3 sacks he would've made those guys look stupid in 2012.

6 points with the best offensive weapons in the league = no better than a D at QB to me.

Not if he's been focusing on keeping his eyes down field. How many times to pockets collapse and the elite qb's "with the defender right in his face" still complete the pass downfield. He probably didnt take off because he was focused down field and trying to give the WRs every opportunity to get open. He's focused on developing pocket skills... that's part of the learning curve.

Pretty much spot on...The playcalling was suspect on offense... They didn't seem to have an answer on the right side. I believe that's why we saw the inconsistency. Hopefully other teams won't be able to shred our pass protection like Watt and Reed. Winning cures a whole lot of our woes. I thought I read or heard a quote from Gruden regretting his decision not to utilize the running game more. Maybe he's learning who are his go to guys...and who aren't...

All in all, what a depressing first game. I really was excited for it and thought we'd see some fireworks at the very least considering our WR corps. But to have our offense be a weak spot for the entire first half and then have major gaffes on the units that we're supposed to be most improved (ST and D) was really frustrating.

God willing, Gruden can fix things and quick. The potential is certainly there. But that was a pretty bad team in the Texans and we let their conservative gameplan bleed us to death. I LOVE the way we countered after the first half. Most tangible sign of a great coach in my mind.

But, Robert needs to step up and at least be elusive in some capacity behind the line of scrimmage. I understand the Oline isn't helping him much, but he runs into sacks way too much and can't seem to make anyone miss. No stutter step, no abrupt side stepping, no nothing of what you see infinitely less mobile QBs do often. He just bails out to his right almost every time and runs full speed, which doesn't even give him much time to find someone open by improvising. He needs to bail to his left at least once in a while so defense's have to stay honest.

I'm really trying not to be so down on Robert, but he's the most frustrating player for me right now because he's got all the tools in the world to be great... he's just not using them properly. I don't know if his lateral movement is completely gone because of his knee, but it's so disturbing watching him look so clumsy while trying to elude the rush. It's devastating to think about.

Burgundy Burner said:

Quarterback:
Robert Griffin, III showed some promise at being a pocket passer, but he also struggled at times. Turning the ball over inside the red zone is a huge negative. Grounding the ball did not help, but Griffin has learned to slide when in danger.
Grade: C+

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I think we should hang him for getting his foot stepped on and tripping. He's obviously the only QB in the history of the game who ever wrongly tried to complete the handoff anyway. The grounding call was iffy. Though it did look like he could have thrown it away a little earlier and got it back to the LOS, avoiding the penalty. We should gouge out an eye for that. With many mediots and fans questioning his ability to even tie his own shoeloaces prior to the game, I thought he did pretty damn good. Of course, being old school and all, I still believe it takes the overwhelming majority of QB's 5 years in the same system to become what so many EXPECT Robert to be in a 3rd of the time.

I give him a solid B.

Running Backs:
The running game was solid, but Alfred Morris and Roy Helu were underutilized. Morris nearly lost the ball inside the red zone, but video replay saved the play. We hope to see a little of Silas Redd sometime soon.
Grade: B+

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I know it's "ifs & buts", but without the two fumbles, Almo might have had 2 more carries, for touchdowns. And even if someone else had scored the touchdowns, we'd have been pulling out the old Riggo drill at the end, instead of trying to catch up. I find it incredibly knee-jerk to bitch about underultilizing the running game. (From lots of people, not just you) I understand it's guilt by association because of Kyle's rep. But it isn't fair, yet. Personally, I'd love to see Morris get 100+ every week, on fewer carries. At the rate he's been at the 1st two seasons, he might only last the RB average for years in the league. I'd like to have the kid around for 10+.

I like the grade though.

Wide Receivers:
An offense will try to take what a defense will give them and the Redskins needed to look further downfield at times. A reverse lost major yardage. There were too many short passes. Gaining yardage after a catch simply didn’t happen either.
Grade: C

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Gruden, and almost everyone I've heard who wasn't an innerwebz HOF coach, said Houston played back all game long, forcing the underneath stuff, thinking Griffin would get impatient and chuck up some ducks. Didn't happen. Another feather in Robert's hat, IMHO.

I'd upgrade to a B

Tight Ends:
This position was non-existent and did not contribute anything of note. Blocking was atrocious. Jordan Reed has another injury and this could be his destiny in the NFL – potential, but injured too often. Niles Paul quickly went from hero to zero.
Grade: F

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I concur.

Offensive Line:
Where do we start? The porous right side? Tyler Polumbus? Chris Chester? Even Trent Williams had a holding call and a couple of miscues. It was simply horrific.
Grade: F

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The only problem I see with this assessment is the use of the word, simply. They were horrifically, horrific.

Defensive Line:
It was not as stellar as some may think. A journeyman quarterback all too often had time to throw the ball and Arian Foster gained more than 100 yards. One sack from Jason Hatcher and some good third down stands certainly stand out, but some improvement is still needed.
Grade: C+

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Hard to disagree with this much. Foster is no slouch, though.
I'd still go B-. Which is the same thing, when speaking Homer.

Linebackers:
A solid effort from Keenan Robinson and Ryan Kerrigan helped to keep Houston in check. Perry Riley and Brian Orakpo were steady. This was the best unit on the field for the Redskins on Sunday.
Grade: A-

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Agreed. Though I also agree with fansince, that Murphy plays, slow. Hope it's just rookie uncertainty.

Cornerbacks:
Overall, the corners were good, but unspectacular. Bashaud Breeland had an untimely penalty, but did well in the nickel packages. David Amerson played a solid game while DeAngelo Hall continued to defy his age – many thought he would be playing safety by now. E.J. Biggers was good in nickel packages too.
Grade: B

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It's a shame we'll never really know what we've got until we get at least average safety play.

Safeties:
Bacarri Rambo could be on an even shorter leash after a terrible performance. Granted, he is more of a free safety, but poor angles continue to be his Waterloo. Ryan Clark provided a veteran presence and solid play.
Grade: C-

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If Clark wasn't back there, I go Z-.

Special Teams:
Bottom line, it wasn’t pretty. A blocked extra point is simply unforgivable. That one point quickly changed the game and energized the Texans. A blocked punt for a touchdown hurt as well. One bright part of the special teams was punter Tress Way. He could have a long tenure in Washington.
Grade: D

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The blocked punt was bad. But we weren't the only team to have one blocked.
The extra point? WTF &#*)!@%&#)(#$
Kicks and punts were good. Coverage was pretty good too. Considering this was the first game with this particular lineup. I'm confident they will be much improved this year. But they certainly screwed the pooch last week.

Coaching:
Seeking to transform Griffin into a pocket passer seems to be working, but it will take time. Defensively, the game plan was solid and the unit did a fine job – albeit, with some breakdowns. Special teams contributed heavily to the loss. The offensive line was simply – offensive. Not making enough adjustments at halftime was surprising when one considers the hype that originally came with Jay Gruden.
Grade: D+

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I'll go B. I've seen far worse coaching from experienced coaches.

Hail to the Redskins!

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Oh, hell ya!

It's hard to argue what all of you are saying. Seems like we are in agreement for the most part with only minor differences. So many knowledgeable fans in this forum. I say that because my emotions flow during chat and things are seen with a homer's eyes. It's good to sit back for a day or so and then give an honest evaluation. Thanks for doing so - awesome comments.